The present invention relates to an automatic developer used for processing of silver halide photographic material, such as color film, and also relates to a small-sized, simple automatic developer, which is most suitable, for example, to the so-called news reporting, where it is carried to the photographing site, the photographed news reporting film is processed, and the image of such film is promptly sent to the newspaper head office, etc. by telephotography, or to the use as a hobby in the home.
Further, more particularly, it relates to a small-sized automatic developer, in which installation of circulation pump, etc. for agitating the processing liquid is not intended.
With respect to news reporting photographs where speediness is required, the undeveloped film itself is promptly sent from the site to the head office, etc. and is processed there, in case the photographing site is relatively close to the newspaper head office or branch office, etc.
However, in case the photographing site is at a distant location, the photographed film is developed and its image is sent by telephotography, as a common practice.
In developing such photographic film for news reporting, it is possible to use a developing service facilities, such as the so-called mini laboratory nearby. However, such facilities may not always accept urgent request for processing, and no services are available there at night. Therefore, it is common that developing is done by manual work, such as the so-called manual developing or disk developing.
Alternately, some use an automatic developer, which is on the market for news reporting, or a small-sized developer of manual developing type for hobby.
Up to this time, in the automatic film developer of the so-called cinema type, techniques of circulating the processing liquid in the tank by use of a circulating pump or spraying the processing liquid onto emulsion surface of the film are employed, so as to make the processor temperature uniform or to improve the processing performance by realizing a good mixing quality with the replenishing liquid.
For example, in the conventional automatic developers, jet agitation (E-Jet Agitation), opposed roller agitation, etc., as employed in Fuji Minilabo Champion 23S, are known. Further, jet agitation by jet type branching pipe and rotating roller agitation, as stated in specifications of Patent Disclosure (Japanese Patent O.P.I Publication) No. 183461/1987 and Patent Disclosure No. 183462/1987, are known. However, most of them were the type which were installed on the tank wall of the automatic developer.
Conventional automatic developers for news reporting available on the market are of relatively large size, requiring an automobile, etc. of truck or ban type, which are inconvenient for carrying to photographing site, yet there are still many parts which require manual operation, and long processing time is required. Because of the above reasons, they are far from popular use. Further, small-sized developers for hobby are almost all manually operated, requiring processing skills, equivalent to those in manual developing, using the so-called disk developing method. Therefore, they are not yet used.
Such being the situation, among people in news reporting there have been wishes of having a small-sized, simple automatic developer which meets the following requirements:
(1) Small-sized, light weight and convenient for carrying, and desirably to be portable with one person, without use of a car, etc.
(2) Film conveying, processing liquid handling, processing temperature adjusting, drying and other processes are carried out under automatic control, thereby not requiring skilled techniques in operation.
(3) Good and stable processing performance
(4) Short processing time
(5) Little malfunction, and little maintenance expenses.
The present invention has been completed as part of the studies concerning a small-sized automatic developer most suitable for news reporting or for hobby, in meeting the above requirements. Specially, a subject of the invention is to clarify the technical construction which will meet both the requirements for small-size and light weight and the requirements for preventing the lowering of processing performance due to uneven temperature and uneven liquid, in keeping a good balance between them.
That is to say, in the conventional, the so-called cinema type automatic film developer of liquid circulation or jetting type, motor, pump, piping, nozzle, etc. are required. Specially, the driving source and driving transmitting mechanism of film conveying system and the pump driving system for liquid circulation and jetting are separated, regardless of the belt system or the roller system, thereby constituting a large negative factor with respect to the requirements for small size and light weight.
The principal object of the present invention is disclosed a small-sized, automatic developer for news reporting or for hobby, which has solved the above problems, and other object of or benefit from the present invention will become clear from the statement hereinafter or drawings attached.